Luigi Ghirri (1943–1992) was an Italian photographer and visual artist, now regarded as one of the leading innovators of photographic language on an international level.
This section explores the story of his life and his creative journey through images and events. Each of these photos captures a small piece of Luigi’s life; take a closer look and discover what they reveal.
Luigi's first day of school! The war had only just ended.
Luigi as a young boy, portraied by his uncle Walter Iotti, a painter. Husband of Leopoldina Ghirri, he was a hugely important figure in Luigi's personal and artistic development. A fundamental family presence without whom, perhaps, Luigi would never have pursued his artistic research.
First experiments with photography alongside his Modenese artist friends, above all Franco Guerzoni, with whom Luigi explored the outskirts of Modena and its peripheries.
Luigi at 25.
Luigi, an aspiring surveyor.
Luigi and Anna Maselli, his first wife and mother of Ilaria.
In Piazza Duomo in Milan with Fulvio Ventura and Carlo Cremaschi. Please note the moustache.
A young Ilaria, Luigi's eldest daughter and today Vice-President of the Foundation.
Luigi and Paola, his second wife, in their youth.
Rimini, late Seventies. Luigi accompanies Claude Nori — the author of the photo — to photograph the Italian summer. This was a film roll shop located on the seafront a few metres from the Grand Hotel. It closed its doors years ago, but the camera is still there!
Christmas. The shelves you see were built by Luigi himself.
Luigi ritratto da Paolo Gioli con la Polaroid gigante. Anche Luigi la utilizzò, su invito della ditta Polaroid stessa che lo invitò ad Amsterdam per utilizzare questa incredibile macchina fotografica.
Bari, Pinacoteca Provinciale. Historical moment! Symposium on the occasion of the exhibition "Viaggio in Italia", one of the most important projects conceived by Luigi with friends Gianni Leone and Enzo Velati. From left: Gianni Leone, Luigi Ghirri, Arturo Carlo Quintavalle, Cuchi White and Mario Cresci.
Luigi and Vittore Fossati, friend and photographer who took part in the collective project Viaggio in Italia. To his friends he is Vitter, the Dessert Fox.
Stocking up on film rolls in Puglia. Photo by Claude Nori.
Keep on rocking in the free world! Listening to music in Formigine. The blue shelf above the fireplace is a trompe l'oeil painted in tempera, a work by Paola.
Little mosquitoes in Paris! Ilaria and Elena are respectively Luigi's eldest daughter and Paola's younger sister. In the early nineties they collaborated with Paola and Luigi on the Studio Infinito project, assisting with the organisation of exhibitions and the archive.
With his friend and extraordinary photographer Cuchi White on the occasion of their joint exhibition, "Caserta-Versailles". Cuchi, we miss you.
In the garden in Formigine, photo by Claude.
The good life on holiday with Lucio! Villa Meo Evoli, Monopoli. Photo by Gianni Leone, friend and extraordinary photographer.
Puglia. Lucio plays Caruso — recently composed — to those present for the very first time. From left: Luigi, a friend, Paola Borgonzoni, Ilaria Ghirri, Elena Borgonzoni and Ron. Photo by Gianni Leone, also known as Zio Pipa.
Villa Meo Evoli. From left: Paola Borgonzoni, Ron, Lucio Dalla, Angela Barladi, a friend of theirs, and Luigi.
In New York for the DallAmeriCaruso tour, for which Luigi was the official photographer. Paola and Lucio at the Metropolitan!
Luigi and his wife Paola Borgonzoni at Villa Meo Evoli, near Monopoli. They were on holiday visiting their Puglian friends, among them Gianni Leone, the author of this photo and co-creator of Viaggio in Italia,
Luigi Ghirri with Claude Nori, Beppe Sebaste and Jacques Berthet at Marzaglia airport (Modena), after lunch at the Trattoria dell'Aviatore, or perhaps the Rana.
Carpineti. With friends Maurizia Giuffrida, Giorgio Messori and Maria Fontana.
Elena Borgonzoni (Paola's sister) and Maria Fontana, today Secretary of the Foundation and the foremost expert on its archive.
An evening in Formigine at Luigi and Paola's home (here on the sofa with Maurizio Magri, Giorgio Messori and Maria Fontana). The house in Formigine was for many years a gathering place for friends and artists including Lucio Dalla, Daniele Benati, Gianni Celati, Gianni Morandi, Ermanno Cavazzoni and many others. Several projects, collaborations and books were born during these gathers. And every year the gang would meet there to watch Sanremo festival.
All together New York for the photography campaign for Bulgari's new boutique on Fifth Avenue. Paola and Luigi with their dear friend and assistant Daniele de Lonti. A real philosopher.
The Pierre hotel, New York. For the first time Luigi and Paola stay in a five-star hotel, on the occasion of the commissioned work for Bulgari. Maria Fontana was also with them like in many other occasions.
Maria and Paola in Brooklyn.
Luigi photographs Giorgio Morandi's studio, accompanied by his great friend Giorgio Messori, an extraordinary writer we warmly encourage you to explore.
Luigi and Claude Nori wander the plain along the banks of the Po.
Paola and Luigi at the wedding of Beppe Sebaste and Cathy Josefowitz, photographed by Claude Nori on the beach at Forte dei Marmi.
Roncocesi, Ilaria and Elena with Lucio on the occasion of Adele's baptism.
Having recently moved to the house in Roncocesi, Luigi had begun to develop a passion for gardening, which he practised every day. This house is now our home.
In the small holiday home of Paola's family in Montebello, a small medieval village in the province of Rimini.
Roncocesi, 24 May 1991, Bob Dylan's birthday party in the new house.
In some village in the lowlands with his friend Gianni Celati during the filming of "Strada Provinciale delle Anime", directed by Celati with Luigi's collaboration.
Luigi with his daughter Adele, today President of the Foundation.